


Autumn Carnival

by qianwanshi



Series: Immortals [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fate, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 08:38:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2645360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qianwanshi/pseuds/qianwanshi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The people that he sees every day have many different names for him: destiny, fate, time, death, but none of them know what exactly that means. No one knows that it’s him, one physical being living eternally among them, controlling the entire thing.</p><p>Well, kind of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Autumn Carnival

**Author's Note:**

> Warning for depictions of death but no actual death??
> 
> Title may change idk.

The people that he sees every day have many different names for him: destiny, fate, time, death, but none of them know what exactly that means. No one knows that it’s _him_ , one physical being living eternally among them, controlling the entire thing.

Well, kind of.

Kyungsoo isn’t exactly pulling all the strings when it comes to his job, there are plenty of other forces to take care of that. He’s just there to make sure things go according to plan. Keep fate running like a well-oiled machine, stay unnoticed, watch the timelines, and don’t fuck up.

It’s not a difficult job to do. In all of his years, Kyungsoo has never had anyone move away from their predetermined timeline. All this means for him is that he gets to live his life among humans, completely unnoticed as he watches them slowly but surely move toward their inevitable ends.

He isn’t invisible to humans. He guesses it’s more like he’s spectacularly average in every single way, which is really almost the same thing. It feels better off that way, though. Living with no companionship was difficult at first, but he learned early on that it’s harder to cope with human relationships than not. Human lives are incredibly short. He had made a friend once, and in the blink of an eye his life had ended, the timeline that only Kyungsoo could see cut off suddenly.

After that, he knew that being alone was the safest path through his job.

So here he is, alone at a window table in one of a million coffee shops in the city, watching people pass by outside with a soft sigh. The weather is just starting to change from the burning hot days of summer into breezy days of autumn, leaves only just starting to turn brown and fall off.

He watches a woman sit outside at the bus stop with her young son, counting the number of stops on the sign until the one that they want. He could see their timelines clearly defined above them, the son’s much shorter than his mother’s. He looks away quickly and stares at the newspaper on his table, not really seeing the words but needing the distraction from reality. He’s seen all different kinds of tragedies over his many years, but it’s still hard for him, sometimes, to remain unaffected in the face of such loss.

His thoughts are interrupted by a shadow suddenly looming over him, a tall man standing next to his table staring directly at him.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” the man asks. He’s much taller than Kyungsoo is, he can tell even though he’s sitting. He’s dressed in average clothes which don’t boast of any wealth, and a loose cardigan on top. His hair is light brown and somewhat long, just on the verge of sloppy but not quite.

Kyungsoo flounders for a moment, looking around himself. It’s been years since anyone has given him so much as a second glance; he can’t remember the last time someone actually spoke to him on their own. 

When he looks back up, the man looks confused, gesturing to the empty seat opposite Kyungsoo with raised eyebrows. Kyungsoo nods slowly.

The man smiles and plops himself into the seat, pulling a laptop out of his bag in a hurry.

“I wouldn’t normally bother someone, but there are no empty seats and I can’t really afford my own wifi, you know?”

Kyungsoo smiles weakly and nods, fighting the reflexive flick of his eyes to above the man’s head where he knows his timeline will shine brightly out at him. He fails, and feels a pang of disappointment when he sees it’s going to be cut off very soon. This guy can’t have more than twenty miserable minutes left, and suddenly Kyungsoo can’t stand the thought of him spending those minutes in a dumpy coffee shop.

Clearing his throat lightly, Kyungsoo speaks up finally. “You know, there’s a place down the road with faster wifi and actually decent coffee, if you want?”

The guy stops his furious typing and blinks over his computer screen at Kyungsoo like he can’t believe he actually spoke. “That would be great!” he says, smiling too wide for his face.

He stands and gestures for Kyungsoo to follow him, tossing his belongings haphazardly into his bag. Kyungsoo feels embarrassed when he slides out of his own seat after him; their difference in height stings a little, especially since he’s an immortal death bringer.

The cheery bell rings as they push through the door into the bustling street. The man waits for Kyungsoo to come up beside him before he starts walking.

“I’m Chanyeol, by the way,” he says. “I just moved here. I’m glad you told me there’s another place, the coffee at that place really is terrible.” 

Kyungsoo snorts and looks back up to respond when he freezes. Chanyeol’s timeline, which moments before had been cut off with a looming death, has been extended by several years.

Chanyeol stops walking with his hand wrapped around the door handle of the new coffee place. “Hey, are you okay? You look pale.” 

Feeling suddenly dizzy, Kyungsoo nods slowly before looking back at Chanyeol’s eyes. “Yeah.” His voice cracks. “I just- remembered something I forgot. I have to go.”

He turns and walks away quickly, mind racing through a million thoughts so loudly he doesn’t even hear Chanyeol shout after him.

“What the _fuck_ ,” he mumbles as he walks down the sidewalk in a rush. He’s never seen anything like that before. People’s timelines never just _change_ out of nowhere like that. It said that Chanyeol was going to die and that means _he’s supposed to die_. Fate doesn’t just change its mind about stuff like that. Fate _especially_ doesn’t change its mind about stuff like that.

Finally reaching his apartment and unlocking the door quickly, Kyungsoo rushes inside and throws himself into a chair, head in his hands, one knee bouncing anxiously. What had changed the timeline? What was so special about Chanyeol that he didn’t die today? What was so special about Chanyeol that he was able to pick Kyungsoo out of a crowd like he had-- Kyungsoo shouldn’t have even spoken to him at all--

He sits upright in his seat suddenly, realization running cold through his entire body. He had saved Chanyeol. Somehow, just through speaking to him, he saved Chanyeol’s life today. He drops his head over the back of his chair, massaging his temples with the palms of his hands slowly.

Fate is the one who decides when someone dies or lives. Kyungsoo is simply a supervisor amongst the subjects. For him to take the reins and save someone from fate, by mistake or otherwise, is never a good idea.

“I fucked up,” he groans to himself.

Irritated by the massive hiccup in his routine, Kyungsoo falls into bed, choosing to skip dinner and hope that tomorrow life goes back to normal. Maybe this one tiny mistake won’t actually be a big deal. There are, after all, billions of humans. He can’t see what the problem is with letting one live a little longer than he was meant to. It’s not like Chanyeol realizes what Kyungsoo did, anyway.

———

The next morning starts the same as any other for Kyungsoo, which is a huge relief. He showers, eats, and dresses the same as any other day, and heads outside into the crowded streets the same as any other day, full of people and their diminishing timelines.

Halfway down the street on his walk, Kyungsoo picks up a newspaper from a vendor. It’s a habit he’s kept up with for as long as he can remember. It rarely captures his interest for very long, humans haven’t really changed all that much for all that they’ve advanced within his lifetime, but it helps him to keep up with the current events within his city at least.

One headline in particular sticks out as he skims the front page.

 **Local Coffee Shop Robbed, No Injuries Despite Shots Fired.** Full Article page 4.

Kyungsoo stops dead in his tracks, hoping to himself that it’s some other coffee shop in the city. One that’s far, far away from anywhere he’s been recently.

Turning to the page for the full article, he sees a picture above the writing straight away. It’s the coffee shop he had been in, for sure. The window he had been sitting directly in front of is gone, shot through so that it had shattered out onto the sidewalk.

He sighs loudly, raking a hand through his dark hair. He had already known the truth, but he had still been trying to maintain some hope that maybe he’d been wrong. That maybe fate simply _had_ changed its mind.

Of course that couldn’t have been the case, he thinks. He continues walking away from his house and into the city, still unsure what to do with himself. Nothing seems to be majorly changed. The space-time continuum is intact. All the humans in the city are shuffling past him without second glances again, no clue that he may have really messed up the grand order of things because of one stupid conversation.

Someone shouting vaguely registers to his mind, but he’s so used to ignoring other people that he pays no mind to it, getting absorbed in watching everyone around him to reassure himself that things are fine.

He’s so absorbed that when someone taps him on the shoulder, he almost jumps out of his skin.

The person laughs loudly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

Kyungsoo feels a sense of dread as he turns around. There’s Chanyeol again, tall and happy with the same style of plain clothes and messed up hair as the day before. Timeline still extended for several years somehow.

He sees the newspaper in Kyungsoo’s hand and points at it in excitement. “Did you see what happened at that coffee place? Crazy, right?”

Kyungsoo nods. It sure was crazy.

“I guess you kind of saved my life, didn’t you?” Chanyeol asks. “I don’t even know your name, either.”

Kyungsoo mumbles his name softly, almost hoping Chanyeol won’t hear him and give up and leave forever.

“Hm, Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol says, before smiling all too wide again. “Let me get you some coffee or something! I owe you one for saving me.”

With a pit in his stomach and against all his better judgment, Kyungsoo nods his head, following Chanyeol along the sidewalk past all the different store fronts, not really sure how to get out of it. It’s not like he had anywhere in particular he has to be either. He determinedly looks straight ahead when they pass the coffee shop from the day before, ignoring the people milling outside to begin repairs. 

The coffee with Chanyeol goes well, to Kyungsoo’s great disappointment. He discovers that Chanyeol is recently graduated from college and trying to make it in the city, living in a small apartment and working a job that has little to do with the degree he earned. He’s not unhappy, though, which is what actually surprises Kyungsoo the most. He’s hopeful and cheerful and funny.

When they finally split up, Kyungsoo finds that even he had opened up about himself to Chanyeol a tiny bit. The first human to hear about Kyungsoo since at least the radio was invented.

What really surprises Kyungsoo on his walk away from their lunch is being struck with the sudden realization that he is glad that he saved Chanyeol. He’s actually happy to have broken the one major rule of his job. To have kept this one specific human alive for longer than he was meant to be.

That’s when Kyungsoo also realizes that he is in serious trouble.

———

That evening, Kyungsoo returns home with several bags of groceries, stomach growling as he puts them away and grabs old leftovers for dinner. He’s just sliding the cheap plastic bowl into the microwave and pressing the buttons when a voice speaks from behind him.

“You know that plastic shit will poison your food, right?”

Kyungsoo jumps, banging his wrist on the countertop in the movement. Turning around quickly, rubbing at his wrist, he almost growls when he sees the man standing in the doorway between his small kitchen and living room. He stands not much taller than Kyungsoo, dressed casually in a t-shirt with some unidentifiable pattern on the front and jeans. His hair, Kyungsoo knows, is dark brown, but it’s hidden under a worn looking cap.

“Jongdae,” Kyungsoo says, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “What do you want?”

Jongdae slides away from the doorway and falls into a seat at Kyungsoo’s tiny kitchen table, resting his head on his fist lazily. “You know what,” he says. “You’re in some deep shit, the big guy’s not happy.”

Kyungsoo snorts. “Is that why he sent his pet down instead of coming to tell me himself.”

Looking unmistakably annoyed, Jongdae sits up straighter. “I’m not his _pet_.” 

While he’s right, Kyungsoo can never resist the opportunity to tease. Jongdae works in a similar job to Kyungsoo, but where Kyungsoo takes care of death, Jongdae makes sure that those who are destined to fall in love do so. He’ll never forget the time he called Jongdae ‘ _Cupid_ ’ to his face. The fat lip had honestly been worth it.

On top of all that, Jongdae happens to be their boss’ favorite little worker. Kyungsoo never really could understand how the two work together, but Junmyeon seems to always be taking care of Jongdae one way or another. It’s really just too easy to pick on him.

“You saved a human, Kyungsoo,” Jongdae says.

“ _By accident_.” Kyungsoo says forcefully. “I didn’t know he was supposed to die _there_ , I thought he had time.”

Jongdae shrugs. “You interfered all the same. You know better.”

“What’s done is done,” Kyungsoo says, looking at Jongdae’s knees rather than his eyes. “I can’t change it.” A part of him wouldn’t want to change it even if he could, he thinks.

Something in Jongdae’s posture changes. “He’ll forgive this time, since it was an accident, but don’t forget what I am. I can see you too.”

Kyungsoo blinks, but when he looks back up to ask Jongdae what exactly he means, the man is already gone. He’s left with a sour feeling in his stomach, and when his microwave beeps at him, he realizes numbly that he’s not hungry anymore.

———

He doesn’t leave his apartment for days after Jongdae’s visit. He manages to keep himself fed and showered, maybe, but mostly he doesn’t leave his bed. The television has been on the entire time and it’s become more like background noise by this point than actual entertainment. Kyungsoo isn’t interested anyway. He can’t stop thinking about what Jongdae said before he left. What did he mean, he could see Kyungsoo too. Jongdae has no business watching what Kyungsoo does or doesn’t do.

On his third evening straight of not leaving his bed, sitting on top of the blankets in his underwear and eating the crumbs from a bag of cookies, Kyungsoo is visited again.

He hears the noise in the living room first, someone mumbling to themselves about something he couldn’t hear, and then Jongdae is pulling open his bedroom door roughly.

He stops when he gets a look at Kyungsoo, like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

“What the hell are you doing?” 

Kyungsoo chews his crumbs slowly and shrugs. 

“Are you _hiding_?” Jongdae asks, incredulous. “Kyungsoo, you have a job to do. You can’t sit around scared all day because of one human. 

“I’m not scared!” Kyungsoo begins, stopping when Jongdae fixes him with a look. He slumps back against his headboard. “I just don’t want to see him again…” 

Jongdae looks oddly sympathetic for a brief moment. “Get out of your house tomorrow, or I’ll have to come force you,” he says before disappearing again.

———

Kyungsoo weighs his options in bed the next morning and decides that as much as he doesn’t want to, leaving home on his own is much easier than being forced to by Jongdae.

He almost hates to admit it, but after a shower and a proper breakfast for the first time in days, he actually feels much better. More prepared to face the outside world again than he thought he would be. 

Walking along the street once again, he finds himself less worried about seeing Chanyeol again as well. Ready to face him if he sees him and not worry about it if he doesn’t.

What he doesn’t expect is that when he does end up seeing Chanyeol again, waiting to cross at the corner of the street, his timeline would be short and cut off again in the immediate future. Blood rushes in his ears and panic starts to set in. He knows he should just keep walking and forget it, stop thinking about it and let things happen as they are meant to. But even as he thinks this, he’s rushing forward towards the corner, unable to focus on anything else.

“Chanyeol,” he says, too softly. He watches the stoplight blink from green to yellow and breaks into a short jog. “Chanyeol!” 

He reaches the corner just as the light blinks from yellow to red, the ‘ _walk_ ’ signal across the street lighting up. He yells one more time, reaching and grabbing Chanyeol’s elbow, holding him from walking. 

Turning around with a confused look, Chanyeol lights up when he sees Kyungsoo. He opens his mouth to say hello when a car flies past behind him, horn blaring as it plows through the red light. 

Chanyeol’s eyes grow wide, staring straight at Kyungsoo again. “Did you just save me again?” he asks.

Kyungsoo stands there, just as shocked as he is. “No,” he says. “It was an accident. I was just- I wanted to say hi.”

Laughing suddenly, Chanyeol shakes his head. “That guy would have killed me for sure. I can’t believe it, again.” He looks at Kyungsoo like he can’t believe what he’s seeing. “Have you had breakfast? I guess I owe you again, right?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “It’s fine, really. I was just saying hi.”

But Chanyeol insists, arm wrapping around his elbow and tugging him along. “I was just going to this bakery down the street anyway. Please?”

With no other choice, Kyungsoo joins Chanyeol at the bakery. He lets himself indulge in a sweet, light pastry and a coffee, while Chanyeol chooses something decidedly heavier. 

They’re both silent for a long time after ordering, and it’s Chanyeol that finally breaks the silence when he suddenly asks; “Do you believe in fate?”

Kyungsoo chokes on his coffee, coughing loudly. “What?” he manages to squeak out.

“Fate,” Chanyeol repeats. “I mean, you’ve saved my life twice this week! What are the odds of that happening?” 

“I guess so…” Kyungsoo says, shrugging. “I didn’t really do anything, though.”

“No, but I think it must be fate that you were there both times, right?” Chanyeol says. He smiles again. “I think so, anyway.”

Kyungsoo shifts uncomfortably, knowing that Chanyeol is half right; fate was indeed involved in the entire situation, but not in the way he seems to think. His timeline has grown again, back to a happy length of time with no ugly early ending, Kyungsoo can’t help but feel relieved, and he doesn’t really know why. Looking out the window and sipping his coffee, one face in the crowd stands out and makes him do a double take, but when the crowd parts enough again, the person is gone. He’s sure he knows who he saw, though.

“We should go out,” Chanyeol says suddenly. Kyungsoo had noticed him watching him as he ate, but had mostly ignored it.

“We are out,” he says simply.

“No,” Chanyeol says. “Out. Not a thank you or a random meeting. Like, dinner out, something nicer, tomorrow night?”

Kyungsoo feels his mouth go dry, suddenly nervous. He wonders why he keeps running into these situations with Chanyeol. Situations where he knows he _needs_ to do one thing, but _wants_ to do the complete opposite. Situations where no matter what his brain says, it’s like his body makes the choice on its own to do what it wants. 

So when he nods along and says he’ll be there, he’s only somewhat surprised, knowing well enough already that his normal logic doesn’t apply when Chanyeol is around.

———

Kyungsoo slams his front door open, storming into his apartment and looking through all the rooms angrily.

“Where are you, Jongdae!” he yells into the emptiness. “I saw you spying on me today!” He slams his bedroom door open: the room is empty. “What the hell do you wa-“ 

He turns back toward his living room and slams right into Jongdae who had appeared suddenly behind him. He grumbles and shoves him lightly. “Why are you watching me?” he asks, quieter now.

“Why are you saving that human from dying again?” Jongdae says, looking pleased about something.

“I didn’t,” Kyungsoo says, folding his arms over his chest. “I wasn’t trying to.” He looks away, knowing that this time he really is lying through his teeth.

“You two-“ Jongdae starts.

“Shut up,” Kyungsoo interrupts quickly. “Don’t you say anything.”

“You know I can’t do anything about it, Kyungsoo,” Jongdae says. “It’s the truth.”

“So, what the hell is Junmyeon doing, then?” Kyungsoo asks, getting irritated. “How are you possibly right while he’s just trying to kill him?”

“Love works in mysterious ways,” Jongdae says, but it almost comes out as a question. When he sees the irritated look on Kyungsoo’s face, he backtracks. “Okay, the truth is, I don’t know either. But I’m going to find out. I know I’m right about this, I can see it, and I’m not about to let it go.”

Jongdae disappears again in the next instant, and Kyungsoo turns and drops onto his couch, groaning loudly to himself. This is idiotic. His whole life has become a joke because of one conversation about terrible coffee.

Even knowing what a mess things have become and how much messier they are likely to get, Kyungsoo can’t help but to think about his date tomorrow. On top of what Jongdae had just told him, he can’t even try to tell himself he isn’t feeling a little excited.

———

He spends the entire day fussing over himself before his date with Chanyeol. He would never admit it, but he does. When he runs out of wrinkles in his clothes and stray hairs to worry about, he moves on to tidying the most minuscule corners of his house. Only when he catches himself thinking ‘ _just in case_ ’ as he moves the sloppy pile of laundry out of his bedroom does he force himself to stop and sit.

There is no ‘ _just in case_ ’.

Nothing will be happening.

They’re going for dinner, and no more than that will be happening. At all.

He’s blessedly interrupted by the buzzing of his door at that moment. He jumps up in a hurry and checks himself one final time in the mirror before pressing the button to call down to the front door.

“Chanyeol, I’ll be down in a minute.”

Making sure he hasn’t forgotten his keys, Kyungsoo hurries down his stairs and opens his front door, hoping he doesn’t look as nervous as he feels. It’s almost stupid, to have been alive for as long as he has and still get nervous about a date. He’s slightly comforted to see that Chanyeol looks a bit nervous too, standing in front of his apartment building dressed a bit nicer than he’d seen him before. His long hair looks actually brushed and he has glasses on with thick frames that look endearingly goofy on him.

They walk to the restaurant, chatting the entire way, and the conversation continues to flow through dinner. Afterwards, on the walk home back to Kyungsoo’s place, Chanyeol insists that they get ice cream cones, although they’re so busy talking that most of it melts before either of them think to eat it. 

He doesn’t want to admit it, but Kyungsoo has an amazing time talking to Chanyeol. He’s funny and smart, and there’s nothing awkward about their conversation, which is rare, for Kyungsoo. So when he sees his apartment building appear in the distance, he instantly feels a little disappointed, and sad, even though he already knew the great night had to come to an end at some point. 

He’s is interested, though, in seeing how things will be the next time he sees Chanyeol. He’s eager for it, in fact, and, for the first time in so long, _happy_.

They reach the main doorway to his apartment building and stop, facing each other, almost shy. “Thank you,” Kyungsoo says. “I had fun, actually.”

Chanyeol laughs a little. “You looked like you needed some fun, honestly.”

He had had no idea that he was so obviously bored or displeased with his existence, and is surprised that Chanyeol could see through him so easily. “I guess I did…” he says slowly.

There’s a moment of awkward silence, loaded with unsaid words that Chanyeol breaks through with brute force. “Kyungsoo, I-“ he pauses, swallowing roughly. “I really want to kiss you.”

Kyungsoo feels those words like they run through the nerves in his body. It makes him nervous and excited and he knows Jongdae was right. This is supposed to happen and he’s never wanted it to happen more than now.

He must look surprised, because Chanyeol starts to back away from him, looking disappointed.

“Yes!” Kyungsoo says, too loud to his own ears, desperate to keep Chanyeol close. “Yes, I- Me too.”

Chanyeol smiles so widely it’s ridiculous, one eye squinting smaller than the other in a way that makes him look even goofier than before. When he steps forward again, moving into Kyungsoo’s personal space and sliding one hand through the back of his hair and onto his neck, Kyungsoo realizes just how nice he really does smell. Not too much like cologne at all, more just… _Chanyeol_ smell.

He looks up at Chanyeol, still trying to figure it out what could make a person smell so good, and he looks unusually serious, focused on Kyungsoo’s face as he leans in closer.

Their lips only touch briefly at first, like Chanyeol is testing the water before jumping in. When they touch again, it’s slower, more careful. Kyungsoo’s hands find their way to the front of Chanyeol’s shirt where they grip lightly, sliding his eyes shut when the kiss deepens a bit more.

Then there’s a flash. It must only last for a second, but it feels like it lasts for hours. The image plays in Kyungsoo’s mind like a fucked up freeze frame. It’s the coffee shop where he first met Chanyeol, he recognizes it immediately. From the very same seat he was sitting in at that time, Chanyeol’s laptop open on the table, but his coffee is knocked over. On the ground is Chanyeol, staring lifelessly up at Kyungsoo, blood spattered all over the front window and nearby walls.

Kyungsoo gasps, pulling away from Chanyeol suddenly, fear making his heart race.

“Sorry,” Chanyeol looks worried and confused. “Are you okay? Is it too much?”

Trying to breathe normally, Kyungsoo shakes his head. He looks into Chanyeol’s eyes again, taking in all of their life, staring back at him looking gentle and concerned. “N-no, I’m fine.” He shakes off his fear the best he can and smiles to reassure Chanyeol, pulling him close again.

Chanyeol smiles back and leans in, to pick up where they’d left off. Kyungsoo falls back into it easily, still feeling shaky, but keeps his eyes open this time. The fear from the shocking image is still tingling just below the surface.

A second flash appears anyway. This time Chanyeol lies on the street, body mangled and blood running onto the asphalt. A car screeches away without pausing. Kyungsoo can’t see Chanyeol’s eyes this time, but he can see the angle his neck is twisted at, unnatural and haunting.

Kyungsoo jerks away from Chanyeol again, this time stepping completely away, feeling sick and horrified. With his hand over his mouth, he backs away. “I’m sorry, I-“ his voice cracks. “I can’t.”

With shaking hands, he turns away from Chanyeol and manages to unlock the main door to his building and run inside, not even looking back when Chanyeol calls his name.

Once he’s safely inside his apartment, Kyungsoo feels the first real sob break through his chest. He feels lost, wandering into his living room where he sees Jongdae standing, facing away from him.

“So, how was the first date,” Jongdae asks, teasing obvious in his voice. He turns around, but stops smiling when he sees Kyungsoo standing there, shaking with tear-rimmed eyes. “Kyungsoo, what happened?” 

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out, just another terrible sob.

Jongdae instantly rushes across the room and wraps himself around Kyungsoo, who clings like a child too afraid to stand on their own. Hiding his face in Jongdae’s shoulder, for the first time in as long as he can remember, Kyungsoo cries. Loud, heart wrenching, pitiful, awful sobs.

The only thing Jongdae can do is pat his back softly and hum to him soothingly, promising to himself that Junmyeon is going to get an earful at the soonest possibility.

More importantly, though, is getting Kyungsoo calmed down. Jongdae helps him dress for bed and wash his face, eyes and nose bright red from crying. A few slower tears continue to fall, but he seems to be running out already. Jongdae tucks them both into bed, refusing to leave Kyungsoo alone for the night, holding him tight again as he tries his best to sleep.

———

Kyungsoo wakes up the next morning slowly, dazed at first, before he remembers everything from the night before. He groans, rolling onto his front and burying his face in his pillow. 

There’s a soft tapping at his bedroom door before it creaks open softly, muffled footsteps working their way towards his bed, and someone sits next to him, sinking the edge of the bed down. One hand pets the back of his hair, fingers slowly working through it.

“How are you feeling?” Jongdae asks, voice softer and kinder than usual.

Kyungsoo rolls onto his side, looking up at Jongdae and feeling embarrassingly shaky again. “Shitty,” he says finally.

“You should tell me about it.” Jongdae stands. “I made breakfast, come on.”

He pulls on Kyungsoo’s arm until he forces himself to sit up, holding Jongdae’s hand as he shuffles behind him into the kitchen slowly.

Once he’s sitting at his tiny table and Jongdae has served him food, Jongdae sits across from him quietly.

“Okay, what happened last night?” he asks. 

Fighting away that immediate urge to cry again, Kyungsoo breathes deeply several times, pushing the scrambled eggs around on his plate with his fork.

“We kissed,” he starts. He notices Jongdae’s eyes light up a bit, happily. “I don’t know what it was. There was this flash or something. I think I saw Chanyeol’s death like it was supposed to have happened. In the coffee shop and on the street. It was—” He stops, unable to prevent himself from remembering every grisly detail like it was burned into his brain.

He drops his head into his hands for a moment before looking back up, wiping his eyes roughly. “Is it punishment, do you think?” He sniffles. “For saving him? 

Jongdae looks horrified and pissed off. “I don’t know,” he says after a moment. “But I am going to find out.”

“Thank you for everything,” Kyungsoo says quietly, finally scooping a small bite of egg into his mouth. He laughs as he chews thoughtfully. “Chanyeol probably hates me now anyway. Who runs away in the middle of a kiss.”

Jongdae smiles, soft and reassuring. “He doesn’t hate you, I’m sure of that. When you see him, tell him the truth.” 

Kyungsoo looks across the table at Jongdae, unsure. “I can’t just— tell him. Can I?”

“I’m telling you that you have to,” Jongdae says. “He can handle it.”

Just as Kyungsoo shrugs, thinking to himself that _when_ is much more likely to be _if_ , his doorbell buzzes loudly, ripping his attention away from Jongdae and his food.

The speaker crackles to life with a bit of static and a voice comes through. “Kyungsoo? Uh, this is Chanyeol. I was kind of hoping we would talk? Maybe?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes go wide, looking back for Jongdae’s reaction, but he’s already vanished.

He stands slowly, disbelief overpowering the happiness he feels at hearing Chanyeol’s voice again. Moving over to his front door, his finger hovers over the speaker button, thinking hard about how to respond. Finally, he moves quickly before he can regret it, pushing the door release button instead and letting Chanyeol into the building.

Several moments later, there’s a soft knocking on the door of his apartment, right next to where Kyungsoo has not moved from for fear of his legs giving out from under him.

He opens the door and Chanyeol is simply standing there, looking anxiously back at him.

“I’m sorry,” they both start at the same time, breaking off right after.

“You’re sorry?” Kyungsoo asks. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

“You seemed overwhelmed, I should’ve stopped.” Chanyeol shrugs. “I mean, is this like, an asexual thing? I’ve heard of that before, and you should know I’m totally okay with it--!”

“Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo stops his nervous blabbering, smiling a little. “No, this isn’t an asexual thing. I— Just come sit down so I can explain.”

He steps aside, making room for Chanyeol to walk past him and toward his living room. Kyungsoo bites his lip as he walks past, noticing that he still smells just as good as the night before, remembering the rush of good feelings that came from kissing him before it all went wrong.

He tries to clear his head when he joins Chanyeol in the living room. He’s sitting on Kyungsoo’s couch, looking like he has no idea what to expect. Kyungsoo sits on his chair, facing Chanyeol but with enough space between them so they’re both comfortable. 

“I’m going to tell you what happened last night, but I have to explain something else first,” he says. Chanyeol nods and stays quiet. “You might not believe me, but you have to know.”

“Okay,” Chanyeol says, looking unsure. 

He clears his throat, sitting up a little bit straighter. “I’m not exactly… human,” he says, cringing and waiting for Chanyeol to react. “I mean, I am! Human, I mean. I just… don’t die.”

Chanyeol looks -- not offended or scared or angry, but like he had been expecting any other line of conversation than this.

“There’s more,” Kyungsoo says, rushing on before he can be interrupted. “I kind of work with fate. It’s my job to make sure people follow their fates and die when they’re supposed to.”

Chanyeol is quiet for a long time, but he doesn’t stop looking straight at Kyungsoo, obviously thinking everything over in his head. “So you can see when people die?” he asks finally, voice quiet.

Kyungsoo nods, surprised by how well Chanyeol seems to be taking his confession.

“So that means you really did save me?” he asks next. “On purpose?”

Floundering for a moment, Kyungsoo shifts in his seat. “I see when they die, not how. I guess I did, but I didn’t mean to?”

Looking thoughtful, Chanyeol nods slowly. “So last night…?” 

Taking a long, slow breath, Kyungsoo tries to steel himself. “You have to understand,” he starts. “Because of what I am, I don’t have a lot of experience with— with what happened last night.” He looks unusually embarrassed about his admission. “I generally avoid human contact as a rule…”

Chanyeol looks like he’s going to interrupt with a question, so Kyungsoo holds his hand up. He needs to be allowed to finish before answering anything else. 

“Please don’t think that I’m not interested, Chanyeol, I am,” he continues quickly. “I just don’t know how this can work with- with me, and-“

“What happened last night,” Chanyeol asks, voice so quiet it’s almost a whisper.

“I saw you,” Kyungsoo says. He slides his lips together nervously and wraps his arms around his middle, fighting back the prickling burning feeling in his eyes already. “Dead. Like how you were supposed to die when I stopped it.”

Chanyeol has gone pale, looking horrified. “Oh my god,” he whispers. “Are you okay?”

Kyungsoo shrugs, “I guess?” His voice is small and sad.

Almost rushing forward, Chanyeol stops himself to look at Kyungsoo’s face again. “Can I hug you?” he asks.

Unsure if more physical contact with Chanyeol is what’s best for him or not, Kyungsoo nods anyway, that need for comfort still so present that he can’t care either. He moves out of his seat and to the couch, plopping next to Chanyeol, who wraps around him instantly. 

Once he feels like no haunting flashes will happen, Kyungsoo wraps his arms around Chanyeol and relaxes somewhat. He can feel Chanyeol’s cheek resting on his head and he sighs, still shaky, face buried in his t-shirt. He sniffles after a minute, not crying, but he had gotten close again, and Chanyeol pulls away from him quickly to check. When he seems satisfied that there are no tears, he pulls Kyungsoo in again, quiet and serious.

“I still want to try this,” Chanyeol says. “I want to try being together.”

Kyungsoo holds perfectly still for a moment before he holds onto Chanyeol even tighter. He nods, his hair tickling Chanyeol’s neck and chin. “Me too,” he whispers. “It won’t be easy.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

———

Dating Chanyeol is, generally speaking, amazing. Kyungsoo never expected to think so, but it really is. The two of them work well together and are rarely apart once they’re dating properly. 

Chanyeol has remarkable patience when it comes to Kyungsoo and his limits. They test things slowly and carefully, Chanyeol always worried about making Kyungsoo have a repeat of that night that they first kissed. 

They discover, through extensive research, that casual skin to skin contact doesn’t trigger the images alone, though it makes Kyungsoo feel fairly uncomfortable. “Like a creeping sense of dread”, he describes it once. Usually it’s not unbearable, but with more than fleeting touches it can become slowly overwhelming. Chanyeol avoids it whenever he can.

It’s Chanyeol’s idea, after several weeks of awkward half leaning together on Kyungsoo’s couch at night, to find a way to really cuddle up together. He wants to more than anything and he’s determined to find a way. In a moment of what he later describes as “absolute genius”, and Kyungsoo agrees, he picks up one of Kyungsoo’s spare blankets and wraps it around him. Kyungsoo is pulled into his lap and he’s finally able to really cuddle against him, none of that creeping, awful feeling lingering around him.

It’s Kyungsoo’s idea to expand on Chanyeol’s discovery one day, long after they’ve both already perfected the art of careful blanket cuddling.

They’re watching a movie they’ve both seen before, Kyungsoo sitting half across Chanyeol’s lap with his head on his shoulder when he starts squirming. At first, Chanyeol assumes he can’t get comfortable and tries to shift against the cushions, but it doesn’t help. He keeps wiggling in Chanyeol’s lap until it’s obvious that he’s trying to get him to react.

They end up seated and facing each other on the couch, blanket ripped away and Kyungsoo straddling Chanyeol’s legs, rutting against each other through thin pajama pants like two desperate teenagers. Kyungsoo had figured that, while intimate, with the lack of actual skin contact he would be okay. He was right, he finds happily. 

Afterwards, they lay together, enjoying the sense of closeness. The movie plays on in the background. Chanyeol reaches his hand up with a small smile on his face, fixing some of Kyungsoo’s hair. “I wish I could kiss you,” he says. 

Kyungsoo feels a moment of guilt before it’s immediately replaced by confusion when Chanyeol nearly jumps up from the couch to grab the blanket they’d lost. It’s a thin sheet this time, the unseasonably warm autumn day too much for anything heavier. He pulls the sheet over Kyungsoo’s head suddenly, almost making him swear at him.

“What are you—” he starts, sounding grumpy. He’s stopped when he feels something soft against his cheek; Chanyeol kissing him lightly through the thin sheet.

“Anything?” Chanyeol asks.

Shocked quiet for a moment, Kyungsoo shakes his head. “No, nothing.”

He laughs suddenly at the realization, and Chanyeol kisses him again and again, peppering his entire face with small happy kisses through the sheet. He finishes with a soft kiss on Kyungsoo’s lips, both laughing stupidly but so, so happy.

Time flies with Chanyeol around. Kyungsoo still has to leave and keep his eye on the people in the public, making sure that fate always gets its way in the end, but the days drag less than they did before.

Before they know it, winter is sweeping in with heavy snowflakes and bitter cold days. Kyungsoo hates winter normally. It’s too cold, the days are too short, and there never seems to be any daylight. It’s depressing.

This year, winter is his favorite. With puffy jackets, gloves, scarves, and hats on, there’s rarely any exposed skin to touch, on accident or otherwise. They can go out together and hold hands all day long if they want. Scarves wrapped up to their noses, Chanyeol is free to lean and share as many kisses as he wants all day. Winter also brings with it sweatpants and long sleeved sleeping shirts, finally letting them sleep wrapped around each other like they’ve always wanted to. Winter lets them act like they’re a normal couple for once.

Winter is also when Chanyeol finally meets Jongdae for the first time. He pops in one day to check in on Kyungsoo quite unexpectedly. Chanyeol finds him first, nearly jumping out of his skin when he walks into the living room to find a total stranger standing around like he owns the place.

He drops the book he was holding and it lands with a loud bang on the ground. “Kyungsoo?” he calls out, not moving. “I think you’re being robbed!”

Jongdae is barely containing his laughter when Kyungsoo comes running out of his bedroom, struggling to pull a shirt over his head. He stops halfway across the room when he sees who is standing there.

“What are you doing here?” Kyungsoo asks, surprised.

Chanyeol looks at Kyungsoo, bewildered.

“I just wanted to come check in on my favorite couple,” Jongdae says with a smile.

Chanyeol looks at Jongdae, even more bewildered. “What,” he says.

“This is Jongdae,” Kyungsoo explains, motioning with his hands. “He’s another arm of fate. He takes care of all things related to love, and soul mates, that kind of stuff.”

“I basically make sure that those who are tied together, get together,” Jongdae supplies helpfully.

“That sounds nice,” Chanyeol says.

Jongdae snorts. “Not since online dating was invented,” he says sourly. 

Jongdae immediately adores Chanyeol, which is unusual because Jongdae doesn’t even adore Junmyeon. Kyungsoo is sure it’s simply because he gets to use him as a success story, something that has become gradually rarer for him over time.

The three of them casually chat for a while until there is a change of topic that Chanyeol unashamedly finds to be quite dull. He spaces out, but remains attached to Kyungsoo’s side all the same, lost inside his own mind comfortably. Kyungsoo can’t help but smile at that. 

When he notices a brief pause in their talking, he speaks up again suddenly.

“Can you both teleport?” he asks.

Jongdae laughs at the question but nods shortly.

“I just don’t abuse it like Jongdae does,” Kyungsoo adds.

Jongdae clicks his tongue at him. “Are you calling my visits abuse?” he asks, exaggerating his pout.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Kyungsoo responds seriously.

“So,” Chanyeol interrupts the start of another line of bickering. “You’re the fate of all love things, right?” Jongdae nods. “So you know when love is meant to be or not?”

Jongdae nods again. “I always know,” he says. “It’s not as set in stone as what Kyungsoo sees, but I see the connections. I know when something is forever and when it won’t last.”

Hesitating, Chanyeol half starts a question a few times, struggling to find the right words.

“You want to know about you and Kyungsoo?” Jongdae asks, smiling like he knew all along what Chanyeol had wanted. Kyungsoo looks at his lap, feeling embarrassed but not really knowing why. “I can’t really tell you, but I did say you were my favorite couple, didn’t I?”

Chanyeol beams, Kyungsoo doesn’t even need to see it to know that, he can feel it radiating off of him. He still doesn’t look up, trying to pretend like he isn’t blushing, but he’s smiling to himself too.

———

Dating Chanyeol can also be extremely difficult. While there’s a long list of complications that Chanyeol deals with almost perfectly, there are some that no one can make any better at all.

Sometimes Kyungsoo wakes up next to Chanyeol and is immediately greeted with a timeline that is suddenly much shorter than it had been the night before. There never seems to be any rhyme or reason to it, but it’s shocking every time it happens. 

The first few times, Kyungsoo stays quiet about it, keeping a careful eye on Chanyeol the entire day until something happens. Some action, often seemingly inconsequential, will change his timeline back, avoiding yet another death and sinking Kyungsoo deeper into the hole of Shit that is Definitely Illegal in his line of work.

After that, though, the uncertainty weighs too much on his mind. Watching Chanyeol’s every action, worrying what it will be that will bring death, creates such a tight ball of anxiety in his chest that he can’t even function. He tries hiding, but he knows Chanyeol can tell.

It’s early one morning in the beginning of spring when he figures out what to do about it. Chanyeol had, for once, woken up before Kyungsoo and made his way to the bathroom for a shower. He’s getting dressed near the foot of the bed, hair still dripping down his back and all over the floor. Kyungsoo watches from under his blanket quietly. His timeline is shorter again and it makes Kyungsoo anxious just thinking of another day of stress and careful movements.

Unwilling to struggle through one more instance of trying to prevent his boyfriend’s death, Kyungsoo forces himself away from his warm bed and to his feet. Chanyeol smiles when he sees him shuffle around to the bottom of the bed, hair still all ruffled from his pillow. 

Not giving him the chance to react, Kyungsoo walks forward and kisses Chanyeol quickly, following when he starts to pull away. Just as he had expected, he gets another flash of Chanyeol’s oncoming death, hyper realistic in his mind.

He pulls away, trying to act like he isn’t shaken. “Don’t drive to the drug store today,” he says simply without looking back up at Chanyeol. He shuffles to the bathroom quickly, locking the door behind him and ignoring when Chanyeol knocks. He reminds himself over and over that it’s worth it.

This quickly becomes Kyungsoo’s new method of prolonging Chanyeol’s life. He decides for the both of them that a moment of traumatic imagery every so often is preferable to a day spent worrying and hoping. If he has to see Chanyeol die repeatedly in order to keep him from actually dying, then he will do it.

This is a decision that Chanyeol completely disagrees with and despises, never wanting to be the source of any unhappiness for Kyungsoo. After being caught off guard the first few times, he starts to resist when Kyungsoo tries to kiss him.

This never fails to make Kyungsoo very angry.

“Park Chanyeol,” he grumbles one morning in particular. “You kiss me _right now_.”

Chanyeol shakes his head, face buried deep into his pillow that Kyungsoo has been trying to rip away for the past several minutes.

“It’s the _only way_.” Kyungsoo growls, jerking the pillow one last time with no success. 

Chanyeol moves away from him, pulling his arm out of Kyungsoo’s grasp so he can stand at a safe distance. “It’s not,” he says. “It can’t be the only way.”

Sitting up in bed, Kyungsoo’s face is still hard set with irritation. “It’s the easiest way.” He has his fists full of their blanket, but he doesn’t make any moves yet.

The disbelieving laugh that escapes Chanyeol sounds completely involuntary. “Easy?” he asks, eyes wide. “What part of you forcing yourself to watch me die is easy?”

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to say something, but Chanyeol isn’t done yet and interrupts him.

“Is it the part where you try to hide that you’re shaking? Or- or is it the part where you lock yourself in the bathroom to cry so you can pretend you’re fine later?” Chanyeol sighs heavily, visibly deflating. “I hate this, Kyungsoo.”

“Well I would hate it if you were dead,” Kyungsoo says. He still feels angry and stern, but with a new sadness. “And I don’t really see an alternative plan here.” 

Chanyeol sits on the edge of the bed, slouching in a way that shrinks his usually tall form. “Is it really worth all of that?” he asks, voice almost too quiet.

“To keep you here?” Kyungsoo asks. He wraps his hand around Chanyeol’s upper arm and squeezes lightly. “I can deal with it.”

With a deep sigh, Chanyeol rubs his hands over his face. “Is it still…?” He waves his hand around, pointing at nothing, but Kyungsoo knows he means his timeline.

Kyungsoo nods. “Still short, yeah.”

“I don’t want to do this,” Chanyeol sighs again, adjusting his sitting position and finally looking back up at Kyungsoo. The sad, hurting look in his eyes stabs Kyungsoo through the heart. Chanyeol is normally so full of joy. Even on a bad day, his eyes still shine with a little happiness.

Kyungsoo feels a little pang of fear when the words finally hit him. “ _This_?” he questions, scared of the response. What if Chanyeol means _them_ ; Kyungsoo has known for a while, just how important Chanyeol is to him, but the fear he feels at possibly losing him now is too much to consider.

“To kiss you,” Chanyeol answers pitifully. “But I have to, right? It’s the only way?”

Kyungsoo nods silently and Chanyeol sighs.

“Don’t run away this time?” Chanyeol looks Kyungsoo directly in the eyes, more serious looking than Kyungsoo has ever seen before. He hesitates, but nods slowly, agreeing to stay with Chanyeol.

They both lean together and kiss. It’s soft, barely a touch, but Kyungsoo still thinks it feels better than before, with Chanyeol willingly participating. The flash comes as it always does. Another new grisly image of Chanyeol’s dead body painted in great detail within his mind. He flinches away involuntarily, not looking at Chanyeol’s face but not running away either.

Chanyeol pulls him closer first, wrapping him in a tight, warm hug that leaves Kyungsoo’s face pressed into his chest. One hand brushes through Kyungsoo’s hair before moving to his back, rubbing and soothing him slowly.

Kyungsoo closes his eyes and tries to focus on the present. The way Chanyeol smells, his soft t-shirt pressing against his cheek, the strong heartbeat that he can both hear and feel next to his head. If he can focus on the rhythm that creates, he can keep the lingering image out of his mind. He wraps his arms around Chanyeol’s middle and holds him back just as tightly.

“Thank you, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol finally whispers. “For everything. For staying.” He kisses the top of Kyungsoo’s head very lightly, and Kyungsoo can hear the shuddery breath that follows it. He rests his head against the top of Kyungsoo’s and sighs. “I love you.”

Grabbing handfuls of his t-shirt, Kyungsoo pulls impossibly closer to Chanyeol, already feeling his tears threatening to fall. It’s Chanyeol making the smallest sniffling sound that finally makes them start to spill. “I love you, too,” he says, burying his face even closer to Chanyeol’s heartbeat.

———

Jongdae storms through Junmyeon’s overly decadent house, wide floor plans and winding hallways nothing but an obstacle in the way of his goal, a goal which he finally reaches at Junmyeon’s large and heavy bedroom door. Wasting no time with knocking, Jongdae throws the door open and stomps into the room.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he demands, voice and face both set angrily, glaring at his boyfriend of God Knows How Long Anymore.

Junmyeon nearly jumps out of his skin, stumbling and almost losing his balance where he stands on one foot, shoving the other into a pair of pants.

“Um.” He looks around the room, confused. “Getting dressed?”

Jongdae bristles, huffing out a short breath. “That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about Kyungsoo.”

“Oh,” Junmyeon says simply. He pulls on his pants the rest of the way and buttons them.

“Yeah, _oh_ ,” Jongdae says. “ _Why_ do you have to keep trying to kill Chanyeol?”

“It’s his time to die,” Junmyeon says without further explanation, sounding like he’s tired of trying to defend himself to Jongdae about the situation.

Jongdae makes an irritated face. “You and I both know that’s bullshit, Junmyeon. He doesn’t have to die right now.”

“If the fates say so, yes he does.” Junmyeon leans against one of his tall bedposts, looking at Jongdae who looks as proud and determined as he’s always known him to be. This is the first time Junmyeon has been on the receiving end of his anger stemming from that, though. If he wasn’t so distracted by the actual argument, he might actually think it was kind of hot.

Jongdae drops into the seat at Junmyeon’s nearby desk, body language brimming with tense feelings. “Well the fates also say he’s meant to be with Kyungsoo. Alive. So, what, we just ignore that?” He stares like he knows Junmyeon is getting verbally backed into a corner. There is no safe response to Jongdae in fights.

“No, Jongdae, no, I’m not ignoring you.” Junmyeon approaches Jongdae slowly, carefully. “I just need to finish what was supposed to happen.”

“ _They’re_ supposed to happen-“

“Love changes all the time,” Junmyeon interrupts. “You say so all the time. That’s why it’s so hard to do what you do.”

Jongdae looks seriously at Junmyeon, voice dangerously even. “Not this. If you could see the bond that I see you would understand.”

“I do understand, but—”

“But you’re going to keep killing him anyway.” Jongdae lets out a short laugh, newly irritated and disbelieving. “What about if this was us again? What would you do then, let me die?”

Junmyeon’s voice finally breaks away from the calm tone he had held before, trying to keep Jongdae from getting even angrier. “Don’t,” he starts, eyebrows furrowed. “That’s not the same thing.”

“How is it not?” Jongdae asks immediately.

“Because it-“ Junmyeon sighs and runs a hand through his hair, leaving it a mess. “It’s not. Besides, what does it really matter?” 

Jongdae looks like he’s been hit in the face for a moment before he gathers himself to speak again. “You’re breaking Kyungsoo apart, you have to realize that. Watching the one he loves die over and over again? Completely undermining everything I do and have done for them for no reason? I think it matters a lot, Junmyeon.”

“I’m not undermining you—” Junmyeon says, looking angry at the accusation.

“You _are_ though!” Jongdae stands again, pacing near the desk with his arms crossed. “I always thought you were the only one who really got how difficult what I do is. I thought you respected that.”

“I _do_!” Junmyeon insists. “I know!”

“Just, if it conflicts, what you want is more important?”

Junmyeon looks flustered, defeated. “Jongdae, please, that’s not what I’m doing. I can’t just-“ he waves his hands in front of him stupidly. “Not kill a human because someone we know cares about them. I’ve never been able to, you know that.”

Jongdae looks at the ground, chewing on his thumb. “I know, but can’t you—” he shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“What can I do? Just let him live forever because I don’t want to make Kyungsoo sad?” Junmyeon asks, voice calm and normal once again.

Jongdae doesn’t break his stance but doesn’t respond either, still chewing his thumb. Junmyeon can’t see the tiny smile he’s hiding away. He looks up slowly, “I was going to say at least until he’s at least eighty, but that’s a way better idea.”

“What?” Junmyeon asks, confused. “What idea? I didn’t say an idea.”

“Make him immortal,” Jongdae says. Not looking angry for the first time this entire visit.

“What?!” Junmyeon nearly yelps this time, voice almost shrill. “Jongdae, _what_?”

Jongdae gives him a look like he thinks he’s incredibly stupid. “Make him immortal, Junmyeon. Give him a job.” He approaches Junmyeon, looking sincere. “You can do that, I know you can.”

Junmyeon looks surprised and confused, but considers the possibilities. “I could, but… What job? I can’t just make him fate of nothing.”

“He can have my position,” Jongdae says. He raises a finger when Junmyeon tries to immediately respond, no doubt with a dramatic denial. “I’m just saying. I’m sure there’s something open that I could slot into. I’ve had just about as much as I can take of this job anyway…”

Junmyeon looks unsure, shakes his head. “Jongdae, you know that’s difficult to pull off. I’m pretty sure I’m _still_ in hot water over the last time.”

“But it was worth it, wasn’t it?” Jongdae asks, taking one of Junmyeon’s hands into both of his own. 

Looking over Jongdae’s face, hopeful and focused and determined, Junmyeon has to laugh a little bit, looking every bit like the love struck idiot everyone knows he is. “It was worth every last bit of it.” He blinks like he’s pulling himself away from a trance. “But to do it again? Jongdae-“

“I’m formally handing in my resignation notice. Right now.” Jongdae says. “So there, the position is open and hiring a replacement is top priority.” He smiles a little smugly.

Junmyeon’s eyes are wide, disbelief painted all over his face. “Jongdae, if you don’t find a job to fill before you’re replaced-“

“That’s what you’re for, right?” Jongdae smiles again. “We have nothing to worry about.” He steps a little closer, smile still on his face, and kisses Junmyeon on the cheek. “I’ll see you later, I have some news to deliver.”

He vanishes in the next moment, leaving Junmyeon standing in the middle of his bedroom floor, feeling like a particularly angry tornado just ripped through it.

———

“I’ll do it,” Chanyeol says. “I want to do it.”

“ _Wait _,” Kyungsoo hisses. “Chanyeol, you need some time to think about this, it’s a huge agreement to make after two minutes of talking.”__

__Chanyeol blinks. “It’s like Jongdae said, I’ll be immortal too. I’ll have his job, and since I can’t die, you won’t have to stop it from happening.”_ _

__“It’s not that simple, Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo looks across at Jongdae, silently begging for some helpful input. “Immortality isn’t some easy and fun life change.”_ _

__Chanyeol looks confused, almost sad. “So, you’re not excited?”_ _

__“Not exactly, no?” Kyungsoo replies, voice loud. “Chanyeol, it sounds amazing and I know that, but you have to think about the pros and cons for _yourself_ , not for me.”_ _

__“Cons?” Chanyeol asks, like he hadn’t even considered the idea of them._ _

__“Everyone you know and love, your entire family and your friends, are going to get old and die, and you won’t. You have to disappear before they see that at age 40 you look an awful lot like you did at 24, and at 30, and at 35.” Kyungsoo knows that Chanyeol hadn’t even considered the thought._ _

__“You won’t die, though,” Chanyeol responds, like it’s all that simple._ _

__Kyungsoo huffs shortly. “I won’t, but- Eternity is a long time, Chanyeol. A long time to live at all, but a long time to live with another person.”_ _

__Jongdae clears his throat suddenly, sitting straight on Kyungsoo’s couch. “I have something to add to that, if I can?”_ _

__“Is it actually helpful?” Kyungsoo asks, full of doubt._ _

__Sparing a moment to give Kyungsoo a bit of a nasty look, Jongdae starts. “You wouldn’t know about this, Kyungsoo, since you’re younger than I am. It’s about how I ended up with this job in the first place.” He hooks one of his ankles over his knee casually and sits back again. “I used to be mortal, a long, long time ago. Then I met Junmyeon. I’ll spare you the wooby details, but one thing led to another and we had to be together forever. I was going to die, and he had to stop it from happening.”_ _

__“Junmyeon made you immortal?” Kyungsoo asks, disbelief coating his words thickly. “For himself?”_ _

__“No,” Jongdae repeats. “ _I was going to die_ , remember?”_ _

__“So he put you in this job?” Chanyeol asks, sounding almost mystified._ _

__Jongdae nods. “He said it had just opened up, but I don’t know the details. He got into a fair amount of trouble for it, too. Tossing your mortal lover into a job to make him immortal is a pretty huge display of bias.”_ _

__“So you’ve had to deal with everything like Kyungsoo just said. Everyone dying, living forever..?” Chanyeol asks, Jongdae nods again. “Was it all worth it?”_ _

__Jongdae pauses, eyes flickering from Chanyeol to Kyungsoo, and back. “It was all completely worth it. That doesn’t mean it was all easy, but it was all worth it.”_ _

__Chanyeol looks at Kyungsoo. “I’ll- I’ll take a few days to think if you want me to, Kyungsoo. But I’m already convinced I want to.”_ _

__“Call me when you’re ready,” Jongdae says with a smile. “I’ll be the one showing you the ins and outs.”_ _

__———_ _

__It’s evening and Jongdae is lying in Junmyeon’s large bed watching him change into night clothes in a very similar position to that which he had burst into earlier in the day._ _

__“I’m just going to take them off,” he teases. He can see the backs of Junmyeon’s ears turning red and has to fight to keep from laughing._ _

__He pulls his sweatpants up around his hips anyway. Finally turning around, he looks decidedly confused. “Aren’t you mad at me?”_ _

__Jongdae actually does laugh at him this time. “I’m here, aren’t I? Do I look like I’m mad at you?”_ _

__Covered with Junmyeon’s light bed sheet and sprawled out over just a few of his many pillows, Jongdae knows he looks anything other than angry._ _

__“But,” Junmyeon starts, looking like he’s trying hard to find the words he wants. “But we fought.”_ _

__Jongdae reaches out for Junmyeon, pulling him onto the bed slowly when he follows suit and their hands meet. He’s silent while Junmyeon lays down, waiting before rolling so he’s draped half across his chest. Jongdae reaches up with one hand, the other supporting him so he can look properly at Junmyeon trapped beneath him. He slides his hand through his hair and down, rubbing his thumb softly over Junmyeon’s ear absentmindedly._ _

__“We argued,” Jongdae says. He kisses Junmyeon, something intended to be short and soft, but lingers with a kind of hidden intensity. “I think it’s bound to happen during an eternity together, don’t you?”_ _

__Junmyeon pouts. “I don’t want to argue.” His hands rest on Jongdae’s waist like he doesn’t want him to move in any direction._ _

__Jongdae smiles. “I know,” he says, kissing Junmyeon one more time._ _

__———_ _

__“Chanyeol, please,” Kyungsoo says for what feels like the billionth time in that morning alone. He’s nervously fussing around the kitchen, switching back and forth from peering into the fridge and mixing up eggs in a skillet sloppily. “I know that you understand it all, I do. I just want you to be sure before Junmyeon gets here. Really really sure.”_ _

__“I am _sure_ , Kyungsoo. I’m serious,” Chanyeol wraps his long arms around Kyungsoo’s middle, hugging him close from behind. “We’ve talked it through, good and bad, like, eight hundred times. I know what I’m agreeing to.” He squeezes Kyungsoo in his hold a bit. “And I know why.”_ _

__Kyungsoo leans back into his hold, still mixing and fluffing his eggs. “Are you nervous?” He asks, trying hard to sound casual but Chanyeol can tell he’s tense._ _

__“Nope,” Chanyeol says plainly. It’s not the complete truth. He’ll be meeting Junmyeon, the man who apparently has been trying to kill him for almost a year, and that definitely makes him a little bit nervous. “Excited. I’ll be able to touch you soon, we can kiss. We have all of forever to forget how hard this year has been.”_ _

__“Well, that’s touching and all, but I think we should really get started,” Jongdae’s voice comes suddenly from behind them. Chanyeol jumps a little, so slight Kyungsoo can only just feel it._ _

__Jongdae makes his way comfortably across the kitchen, grabbing a plate and fork and scooping some of Kyungsoo’s eggs right out of the pan. “Oh yeah,” he says through a mouthful of egg. “Chanyeol, that’s Junmyeon. Junmyeon, Chanyeol,” he gestures between Chanyeol and Junmyeon with his fork._ _

__Chanyeol is quiet while he looks Junmyeon over, seemingly surprised. “Junmyeon?” He finally questions. “I was expecting…” he trails off, hands flailing in some vague motion that Kyungsoo knows means ‘taller’._ _

__“Nice to meet you,” Junmyeon says, small smile on his face. Chanyeol looks momentarily thrown off by the kind greeting, but returns the pleasantry quickly._ _

__Junmyeon gestures toward Kyungsoo’s living room and they all trail inside, grabbing seats and watching Junmyeon produce several papers. “These are just some contracts and stuff for Chanyeol and Jongdae to sign together, transferring jobs and agreements and training procedures.”_ _

__“What,” Chanyeol says, looking utterly confused._ _

__“Training procedures,” Junmyeon says, slower. “Jongdae told you, right?”_ _

__“No, no, I mean,” Chanyeol waves at the table. “Paperwork? There’s a bureaucracy to immortality?”_ _

__Junmyeon stares at Chanyeol for a moment blankly. “Yes?” He says it like this should have been completely obvious. Chanyeol looks like he isn’t sure how to react._ _

__They all read and discuss these contracts together, Chanyeol nodding along seriously every so often and Kyungsoo’s face set without too much emotion. When it comes time to sign all of his agreements, Chanyeol looks at Kyungsoo silently._ _

__“You’re sure?” Kyungsoo asks one last time, just to be sure._ _

__Chanyeol laughs again. “Yes, I’m _still_ sure.” He leans over the short table in front of the couch and signs his name quickly._ _

__They both look up and Jongdae is beaming at them with his hands in his lap. “You know, I’m glad to be moving onto a new job, but I’m going to keep you guys as my biggest accomplishment.”_ _

__“Well,” Junmyeon says, giving Jongdae a short sideways glance. “Everything seems to be in order. It should all be processed in a few days, then your training will begin.”_ _

__“It’s still so weird,” Chanyeol sighs. “I expected this to be more, I don’t know, dramatic?”_ _

__“Fate is run just as boring as any jobs humans have,” Jongdae laughs. “It’s organized.”_ _

__Everyone stands slowly, dawdling somewhat as Junmyeon and Jongdae prepare to leave the apartment._ _

__Junmyeon faces Chanyeol, looking somewhat awkward. “Sorry about the whole… killing you. Thing. Really, please don’t take it personally.”_ _

__“No,” Chanyeol waves his comment away. “I mean, I get it…”_ _

__They continue to chat, but Kyungsoo doesn’t hear the rest because he’s suddenly being hugged by Jongdae. “You look like you’re about to throw up, relax. You should be ready to celebrate.”_ _

__Kyungsoo nods numbly, unable to really think of any way that he feels. Happy, yes, without question he feels happiness. But he also feels suddenly extremely anxious but with no one reason he can pin the feelings onto._ _

__“Everything will be _fine_ ,” Jongdae continues. “Everything is going to be so much better for you both.”_ _

__Kyungsoo nods again, hugging Jongdae back and watching Chanyeol over his shoulder. “Thank you,” he whispers._ _

__Pulling away from the hug with a smile, Jongdae leans back in and kisses Kyungosoo’s cheek shortly. “I told you, you’re an achievement of mine. I’ll do what I have to to keep that.”_ _

__———_ _

__The very next morning, Kyungsoo wakes up slowly. He had stayed up later than usual with Chanyeol, thinking about how their life together was about to change dramatically. Chanyeol asked a million questions about when Kyungsoo had first changed, how long ago it was, adjusting. Kyungsoo talked about all the things they would get to do together; traveling, living together, playing, laughing._ _

__He rolls over, yawning and trying to force his heavy eyelids open, to look at Chanyeol._ _

__Chanyeol is still, mouth hanging open unattractively against his pillow. Kyungsoo notices something not right about him right away, but has to strain to pick out what it is._ _

__When he figures it out, his eyes shoot open completely, adrenaline pumping through him suddenly._ _

__Chanyeol’s timeline is completely gone, vanished in the night._ _

__Feeling shaky, Kyungsoo whispers his name once. When Chanyeol doesn’t respond, dread starts to creep into the back of his mind. He calls Chanyeol’s name again, a bit louder this time. No response._ _

__He reaches one hand slowly out until he nudges Chanyeol’s chest._ _

__Letting out a loud snore, Chanyeol coughs and makes a face. He groans loudly before rubbing his face with both hands. “Why’d you wake me up?” he mumbles, whining like a child._ _

__“I thought you-“ Kyungsoo breaks his thought off, relieved. “Your timeline is gone.”_ _

__“My _what_?” Chanyeol asks, shocked, touching his head and chest looking for whatever it is that is gone. His eyes are still not opened as he grasps around at nothing._ _

__Kyungsoo grumbles. “Your timeline. _Timeline_.”_ _

__“Oh, okay,” Chanyeol says, sinking back into his pillow to fall back to sleep._ _

__“No,” Kyungsoo hisses, nudging his chest again, harder. “Chanyeol I think. I think it might have happened.”_ _

__“Hm?” Chanyeol hums, eyebrows raised as he tries to force his eyelids apart. “No way, he said a few days.”_ _

__“Chanyeol, humans don’t just _not have_ timelines,” Kyungsoo says._ _

__He’s met with only silence again, but this time as Chanyeol spends his time thinking. Or trying to look like he’s thinking. Rather than let him try to figure things out for himself, Kyungsoo wiggles closer in bed bit by bit. Steeling himself more out of habit than anything else, Kyungsoo leans forward and kisses Chanyeol on the lips._ _

__That finally gets his full attention and Chanyeol jerks away quickly, wide awake._ _

__“Kyungsoo, what- _Why_?” He asks, face stern._ _

__“Your timeline is gone. You’re alive,” Kyungsoo says, breaking out into a small smile. “It can only really mean one thing.”_ _

__Chanyeol looks confused, “Already? I don’t feel different.” He sits up in bed, running his hands through his hair and rubbing his eyes. “Are you sure?”_ _

__Kyungsoo sits up next to him. “There’s one easy way to find out.”_ _

__He leans forward slightly, lips poking out cutely. Chanyeol breathes out a short laugh at him but leans down, giving him a short peck on the lips. He pulls away, waiting for some response._ _

__Looking exasperated, Kyungsoo sighs. “It has to be longer than that,” he says, poking his lips out again._ _

__Chanyeol leans down again, pressing his lips softly to Kyungsoo’s and holding there. When nothing happens, no bad feelings, flashes, fear or dread, Kyungsoo smiles against him and presses even closer, lips sliding together in a real kiss. Their first real kiss in almost an entire year._ _

__He wraps his arms over Chanyeol’s shoulders and pulls so he’s leaning even closer to him. Chanyeol laughs when he almost loses his balance but stops himself, catching back up to Kyungsoo and his kisses._ _

__Kyungsoo slides one hand so it rests at the back go Chanyeol’s neck, touching the skin there just because he can. Chanyeol seems to latch onto the very same thought, hands working their way inside the back of the t-shirt he’s wearing and resting on his back._ _

__They kiss that way for what feels like an eternity, time passing in slow motion as they explore this thrilling new development._ _

__It’s Kyungsoo who breaks away first, a little breathless and a little flushed. He swallows roughly before speaking. “I don’t want to spoil the moment or anything,” he says, big eyes taking in Chanyeol’s face. “But we should probably have sex now.”_ _

__Chanyeol laughs, much too loudly for the early morning silence that had been in the room up to then. He laughs until he’s even more out of breath and has to stop himself. Kyungsoo smiles when Chanyeol catches his breath, leaning forward again until their foreheads touch._ _

__“I think that’s a really, really good idea,” Chanyeol says. He’s beaming like an idiot, genuine and complete happiness that Kyungsoo hasn’t seen in him for far too long._ _

__He kisses Kyungsoo again, adjusting his position in the bed to follow as he lays back down against his pillow._ _

__———_ _

__“Jongdae, I’ve been doing this for like, five months now,” Chanyeol whines, slouched against the couch in his and Kyungsoo’s new apartment. “Can’t I have one day off of training? I’m supposed to be unpacking.”_ _

__“You still have a bit to learn!” Jongdae says, standing in front of him. “Plus don’t forget, I’m in charge of karma now, I can see when you’re lying, even if it’s just a tiny lie. You just want to go play.”_ _

__“Yeah,” Kyungsoo grunts, carrying a big box of fragile sounding things into the bathroom. “Leave it to Junmyeon to find an even more annoying job for you.”_ _

__Jongdae makes a face at the back of Kyungsoo’s head. “You’re welcome, once again, for your happiness.” He faces Chanyeol again. “Just try one last time. Focus on Kyungsoo and your bond. Tell me what you see.”_ _

__Sighing, Chanyeol closes his eyes to focus. Kyungsoo moves back to the hallway where he can watch the two of them working. When Chanyeol opens his eyes again, he looks up at Kyungsoo, and then at the air between them._ _

__“I see it!” He says, bouncing in his seat a little. “Like a ribbon, kind of? Is that the bond you were talking about?”_ _

__Jongdae nods, smiling widely. “That’s it. What does it look like?”_ _

__“Uh,” Chanyeol scratches his head for a moment. “Kind of faint I guess. Dark red though.”_ _

__Jongdae nods again, more enthusiastic. Kyungsoo feels bizarrely exposed by both of them discussing this _bond_ that only Chanyeol can see. He’s so caught up in trying not to feel embarrassed that when he resurfaces, Jongdae is saying his goodbyes. _ _

__Chanyeol jumps happily away from the couch. “I’m getting used to this, I think!” He smiles as he bounces over to where Kyungsoo is still standing, grabbing his hands to play with his fingers._ _

__The past five months since his transformation have been full of casual but constant touches. After a year of barely knowing what each other physically felt like, it feels amazing to actually have the opportunity to do something as simple as touch hands._ _

__“Do you need any help in there?” Chanyeol asks, peering toward the bathroom. His thumbs are sliding over the backs of Kyungsoo’s hands as he looks._ _

__Kyungsoo shakes his head. “You get to do the dishes,” he says with a wicked smile._ _

__“Only ‘cause you can’t reach the cabinets,” Chanyeol says with a small laugh._ _

__Looking thoroughly offended, Kyungsoo pulls his hands away from Chanyeol, shoving his chest and making him laugh even harder._ _

__“And to think I was going to ask for help breaking the new bed in later, but I guess you’re not interested,” Kyungsoo says, turning to walk away._ _

__“Noooo,” Chanyeol whines, grabbing Kyungsoo’s arm to stop him. “I’ll do all the dishes and put them away, I promise. Not because you’re too small.”_ _

__Kyungsoo looks skeptical for a moment, but smiles when Chanyeol leans down for a tiny smooch._ _

__“Don’t break anything,” Kyungsoo says before a second tiny smooch. “Really.”_ _

__Chanyeol laughs again and turns, walking away to the kitchen._ _

__———_ _

__A handful of hours and several emptied boxes later on, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol lie side by side in bed, brand new fluffy duvet kicked into a bundle at the foot of the bed._ _

__Chanyeol is on his side, fingers trailing lightly along Kyungsoo’s bare shoulder blades and spine, following the path down and back up idly. Kyungsoo rests on his stomach, hugging a pillow and watching him as he moves along._ _

__“Your hair is getting really long again,” Kyungsoo mumbles, shifting his head on his pillow._ _

__Chanyeol hums softly, “I’ll get it cut this week. It’s annoying to wash.” They rest in easy silence for another minute before Chanyeol breaks it again. “You should let yours grow a little. You’ve had your hair short since we met.”_ _

__Snorting with a crooked little smile, Kyungsoo shakes his head. “Definitely not. I look like an idiot with too much hair.”_ _

__“I bet it’s cute,” Chanyeol says. He rolls forward slightly, begging a small little kiss away from Kyungsoo. “So how do you feel? Is the bed broken in yet?”_ _

__Humming thoughtfully, Kyungsoo rubs his hand along the mattress, pressing every so often. “Feels pretty good I think, but- wait,” he freezes with his hand over a different spot on the bed. “Hm, I think we missed a spot.”_ _

__Chanyeol has to stifle his laughter with his hand. “Ohh _nooooo_ ,” he says. “I guess we should take care of that?”_ _

__Kyungsoo fights his smile for as long as he can before he starts to laugh properly. “You’re really bad at acting,” he says._ _

__Chanyeol is still smiling as he shrugs crookedly. “As long as I’m good at the important part, right?” He pauses, looking serious. “Which, actually, I think we’re both getting really good at, don’t you?”_ _

__Sitting up some, Kyungsoo smiles again. “I think you’re right,” he pushes against Chanyeol’s shoulder so he’s lying on his back, Kyungsoo holding himself above him, chest to chest. “But,” he starts, pushing some of Chanyeol’s hair away from his face carefully. “I don’t think extra practice ever hurt anyone.”_ _


End file.
